Halfway There
by Ailaena
Summary: The DiGata Defenders have a new task: sealing the Ethos away into the Dark Realm. Yeili, an assassin, hunts down the Lost One, who controls the portals beteen the two Realms. The problem is her, past could affect everything everyone fights for.
1. The Kidnapping

So, yeah. I'm a Di-Gata Defenders fan. Anybody have a problem? No? That's great! And before I start, Yeili's name is pronounced: Yee-lee. And it takes place just after the finale of the first season, which is 'Ethos' for those of you who don't know.

Disclaimer: I don't own Di-Gata Defenders. Say it with me. Rhae. Doesn't. Own. Di-Gata.

**Prologue**

**- - - - - - - - - - **

_A message from the High Ethos Lords,_

_The Megalith has been defeated, by mere children, none the less. Zad, our faithful servant; witnessed this and brought us the news as quickly as possible. Now, the way is clear to the Realm and freedom with the pieces of the Celestial Abyss. We are sending Lady Yeili, a trained servant of ours to fetch the Lost One and bring them here. Once that has been completed, she will dispose of the Defenders. Zad, while the Defenders are distracted, will follow. _

_When this has been done, we will rid ourselves of the Defenders, once and for all, and take over the Realm, what should be ours, for all eternity._

**Chapter 1: The Lost One**

**- - - - - - - - - - - **

_From the dark world,_

_I came,_

_Stealing the one you love,_

_This, I knew_

_- - - - - - - - - - -_

Sixteen year old Yeili walked along the path, her black cloak fluttering in the almost non-existent wind. Her dark hair; tied into a braid, though a few loose strands came loose around her face, blew in the breeze. Looking over the Bakkori monument, she watched the six Defenders come nearer.

"Which is the Lost One?" Yeili narrowed her bright green eyes. "Any of the children could be them."

She held a guardian stone in her pale, clenched hand. "Ridani! Take Flight!" A small black raven flew onto her shoulder, red eyes glowing softly. Yeili pointed at the travelling group and the raven soared down after them.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Okay, so we know that Tuzr will help us find a way to stop the Ethos." Seth was looking at a map, Mel looking over his shoulder.

'Yeah, you've repeated that, like eight times." Kara rolled her eyes, then looked at Adam. He didn't appear in the best condition, rather thin, pale and much quieter.

"I know, I'm sorry." Seth sighed. "Rion, how much father to that dojo?" The younger boy shrugged, from his spot behind Kara.

"Into the Dakor province. At least a week from here."

"Don't know about you guys, but has anybody wondered when we get a vacation?" Erik asked. Adam gave a weak grin as everyone else laughed out loud.

"Never, Erik. Unless wrongs decide to take a vacation as well." Mel smiled and turned back to the map.

"So, from here, it's straight east until Rion says not to." Seth rolled up the map and fired up his Stormer.

Along the road, Mel looked back at Adam,

"Are you seriously okay? Is something bothering you?" Her forehead creased in worry.

"I'm fine. Nothing's wrong." He took a deep breath and looked away.

"You can tell us anything, Adam. We're your friends."

"Thanks, Mel."

- - - - - - - - - -

Ridani flew back, and landed lightly on Yeili's out stretched arm. He cawed and flapped his wings. A dark orb filled with pictures formed in front of Yeili. She had the shadow of a grin on her face.

_Into the Dakor province. At least a week from here. _The smaller, pale boy with an Altas Sigil on his chest said.

"Excellent. Now I know where they're going…" Yeili trailed off. In the orb, a boy and a girl rode one of the Stormers.

_You can tell us anything, Adam. We're your friends. _

_Thanks, Mel. _She narrowed her eyes. How she loathed even the hint of romance or even friendship.

"I will get them." Yeili pointed at the girl. "And she's going first."

- - - - - - - - - -

Yeili slowly crawled along the hard ground towards the Defenders camp. She clutched her stones to her chest and stood up next to a tree, back pressed against it.

"Errriiiikkkkk!!! Stop snoring!" Kara rolled over and whacked her brother. She turned back, then received one in exchange.

Yeili took a deep breath, then ran out into the clearing, throwing her stones into the air.

"Silver Moon!" Silver strands twisted out and wrapped around the children, binding them to the ground.

"Mel!" Seth fought against them. "Do something!" He said desperately.

"I know! I don't know!" She shouted from her spot near the fire. Yeili walked over and knelt.

"Of course you don't know," She said softly, so only Mel could hear. "The Ethos will be happy to have you." Yeili had the smallest grin on her face. Standing straight, she stood to face the others.

"What happened to the fourth boy?" She demanded, hands on her hips. Seth shrugged, looking around for Adam, who had vanished.

A twig snapped behind her and Yeili grinned as a voice called out from the trees.

"Black Bola!" A navy figure darted out, throwing stones into the air.

"Adam!" Mel shouted, "Careful!"

"Twisting Havoc," Yeili lightly tossed her stones into the air, almost lazily. A dark red bola crossed with Adam's disappearing in a flash of purple light.

"Stroke of Midnight!" Yeili grinned as the boy ran around, completely blind, running into tree's, finally sitting still after tripping over a tree root.

"Owe…"

"You are getting weak, Defenders. The Lost One and I shall take your leave." She tipped an imaginary hat on her head and raised a single warrior stone. The violet Ethos Sigil glowed clearly through the dying evening light.

"Who are you talking about?" Erik asked, confused. Kara had a similar look on her face.

"Her, of course!" Yeili pointed at Mel.

"Me? Why me?" Mel raised an eyebrow and almost burst out laughing. "I'm not destined for anything, thank you very much. I make my own path."

"You don't have choice." Yeili spat. "Black Hole." The warrior stone glowed and a dark shape simmered under her and Mel. They both slowly sank down until neither of them could be seen. As Yeili vanished, her casts disintegrated.

"Mel!" Adam dashed over to the spot she had disappeared and started jumping up and down, as if to try and follow her.

"She's gone!" Seth looked around and ran a gloved hand through his hair. "I can't believe we weren't ready for that!" He said angrily.

"Neither can I." Erik rubbed the back of his head. "What now? We need her back, Seth."

"Alnar said there was a dojo near here. Tomorrow we'll go there and see what happens." Seth sat down and stared into the dying fire.

"Promise me we're going after Mel."

"I promise."

- - - - - - - - - - -

"You Defender's where pathetic." Yeili grinned at Mel, who was tied at her feet. They where in the Dark Realms, in apparently a dojo. One with very bad lighting at that. "You'd think that you'd be better casters and have better reflexes in situations like that."

"STOP IT!!!" Mel screamed. "Don't insult my friends!" There was a pause of silence.

"Temper, temper. You really much watch yourself. It could get you into, I don't know... Trouble, perhaps?" What sort of freaked Mel out, was how this girl, no older than her spoke like an adult. A mature one at that. A creepishly mature one.

"Now, Zad will be here in a few hours. Are you going to behave, or not?" Yeili asked, pale hands on her hips.

"Not, you Dako-brained daughter-of-a-sigil-blasted-yin-yanner!" Mel grinned triumphantly. Yeili didn't even look insulted, merely bored, actually examining her fingernails.

"You done? Excellent." And then she walked away, leaving Mel with her mouth open in surprise.

- - - - - - - - - - -

**Author's Note:** And that's a wrap, people! Nah, I'm kidding, that's not the end. If it were, that would be a sad ending. Yeah... I should get around to updating this soon because most of it's been written. I'll try to update this fic maybe twice a week or so, but no promises.

Gah, that's all serious stuff! Who cares! I like cheese. Who else likes cheese? - poke - You could always post it on the reviews, right? Got the hint?


	2. Violet Eyes

I got an update! Yay! -does happy dance- Actually, this was all written, I just need to post more of it... And thank you Adamizgr8, my first and only reviewer so far! -claps like crazy-

Disclaimer: I don't own Di-Gata Defenders. I do, however own the wonderful pair of blue socks on my feet.

**Chapter 2: Violet Eyes**

_I was angry,_

_Devastated in my madness_

_I left again from my home,_

_Searching for you,_

_- - - - - - - - _

Yeili sat, very bored, on one of the chairs scattered about the dojo. Melosa had shouted and cursed at her for a while, but soon stopped when she realised that the Ethos didn't even blink in response. She tapped her fingers on a table, waiting for Zad to hurry up and get here. The main door creaked open and a small furry creature walked in.

"Now you decide to get here!" Yeili stood and walked over. Zad hardly passed her waist, height-wise.

_'I was busy. Where is the Lost One?' _He gazed up at her with unblinking dark eyes.

"She's here." Yeili nodded at Mel, who had dozed off a little earlier.

_'That's not the Lost One,'_ Zad looked up at her, not looking particularly happy.

"How am I supposed to know?! You never told me who it was!" She said angrily. Zad sighed and walked over to a shelf full of books.

_'Do your research next time.' _Zad climbed onto a chair to reach a book on one of the higher shelves. He opened it to a picture of a woman with dark hair. _'Here is the first Lost One. Is she familiar at all?'  
_  
Yeili's face turned a light shade of pink in anger, humiliation and embarrassment.

"The boy." She was shaking in fury, clenching her hands until her finger nails bit into her pale palm.

"I'm going to get him if it's the last thing it do," Yeili hissed and spun on her heel, walking towards the door.

- - - - - - - - -

Seth and company drove the Stormers towards the dojo, the flashes of energy now easier to see.

"Stop!" Erik cut his Stormers power and skidded ahead to the front. "We don't know who it is!"

"That's why we're checking it out." Kara gave him a look that said 'duh'.

"No, those are really powerful ones." Erik looked at Seth. "Look at them, if there's more people with that skill, we'd be toast." Their leader hesitated.

"He's right, Seth." Rion nodded in agreement.

"Alright, we check it out, but if we get attacked, we get out as soon as possible. Agreed?" Erik looked a little iffy about the situation, as did Adam.

"Fine, but once we find out who's blowing up the dojo, we get out of there."

"Erik, you're a wimp." Kara rolled her eyes.

"Gee, thanks. I just don't plan to be destroyed before my seventeenth birthday. Or after for that matter."

- - - - - - - - - -

Eighteen year old, Cameryn sat against the stone wall surrounding the dojo, listening to the Di-Gata battle between two students. She ran a gloved hand through her dark brown hair, sighing.

"Moonbeam!" A boy with dark hair shouted, throwing large silver orbs at his opponent, a girl with black hair tied into a braid. The orbs attacked the girl's shields and exploded in a flash of energy silvery Yin energy.

"Nice try, Tarlin." The girl smirked. "Frost Sheet!" She shouted and a wave of ice cascaded towards her opponent.

"Thymene, stop getting cocky." Cameryn called to her. "He's been out on the field longer than you have." She reminded.

Standing, she dusted off her clothes and walked down the path along the wall. Running her fingers along the stones embedded in the wall, she could hear Thymene getting sorely beaten by Tarlin.

"Seth, the dojo doesn't really have anyone here. At least, that we can see at the moment." A voice said. Cameryn froze.

"Well, how many people do you guess there is?"

"Maybe twenty. Give or take," Cameryn turned the corner, seeing a group of five children, all appearing in different colors. There was a gasp from one of them, the boy glowing a dark red.

"There's exactly twenty-three people here. Who are you?" She crossed her arms. There was a pause. Seth stared at her violet eyes.

"Miia?"

- - - - - - - - -

Yeili walked through the forest near to where the Defenders had been earlier. She was still fuming over her mistake.

_'Everyone makes mistakes,'_ Ridani flew next to her, _'Even you,'_

"Shut up," Yeili snarled. They continued along in silence.

- - - - - - - - -

Cameryn stood there, staring at them.

"You know my sister?" She said in disbelief. "You know Miia?"

"Well, not everyone has eyes like you two." Seth elbowed Adam. "Owe! What was that for?" He rubbed his side.

"Miia got upset whenever you mentioned her eyes," Kara whispered softly to Adam.

"I can hear you!" Cameryn snapped. "How do you know her? And who are you?"

"We're the Di-Gata Defenders. Kara, Rion, Erik, Adam." Seth pointed each of them out. "I'm Seth. Miia and I met near Arboth when..." he trailed off.

"He got merged with his guardian a while ago. Miia helped him out a bit." Rion explained. The others had explained the entire situation to him several weeks before/

Cameryn nodded and rubbed her arm; "I'm Cameryn. You're Defenders?"

"Yeah, would you mind if we just rest here for a while?" Seth asked. "Our friend got kidnapped by the Ethos yesterday and we need to plan out what we're doing next."

"Ouch. Sorry about your friend. You can stay here for as long as you need." Cameryn turned and motioned for them to follow her.

"I didn't know Miia had a sister." Adam said to Erik.

"Me neither." Erik shrugged. "But how many people have eyes like that?"

"Apparently two."

- - - - - - - - - -

Seth watched two stone casters on the field, hurl attacks after attacks at each other. He leaned on the low wall; sun's rays beating down on the back of his neck.

"Shadowland!"

"Frost Sheet!" Thymene, one of the fighting casters threw her stones at another girl. Ice quickly froze over the ground, gliding towards her. The girl, at first, didn't notice, focused on the orbs of Yin energy flying towards her. She gasped as the ice moved up her legs, freezing her to the ground.

"Got you!" Thymene cackled cheerfully, as the orbs of Yin energy smashed her opponents shield.

"She's a wild card." A voice said from behind Seth. He turned around, to see Cameryn shaking her head.

"I could tell." He glanced back at Thymene, who was jumping in the air in victory, ignoring the girl frozen to her waist in ice.

"Been meaning to take her on myself, but it wouldn't be the same. I'm older than her." Cameryn shrugged. "However…" She trailed off, violet eyes on him.

"Got your hint." Seth grinned.

"Thanks. Try to get to her before you leave if you don't mind." Cameryn smiled and walked towards the main wing of the dojo, towards to younger boys, about eight or nine trying to tackle each other to the ground.

"Seth!" Erik waved at him from the wall that surrounded the dojo and the area around it. He was sitting beneath a tree, fiddling with something on his gauntlet. "Over here! I've got an idea!"

"Will it help Mel?"

"Duh, why do you think I was working on it?" Erik rolled his eyes and held up the small screen. A green background, a purple pulse stayed at the centre of it. Another, smaller, dot was at the very edge of the screen.

"Is that Mel?" Seth poked the screen.

"Don't touch the screen!" Erik yelped, pulling it away from Seth. "But, technically, yeah. That's Mel. Or rather, her wizard powers."

"Her wizard powers? You mean we could've traced her before this?!" Seth glared at the mechanic.

"Erm…yeah." Erik went slightly red and looked down at the screen. "Hey, she's moving."

"Towards us. You think she escaped?" Seth asked.

"Either that or…" Erik trailed off, then fiddled with the gauntlet again. He swore under his breath. "That's not Mel."

"It's not?!" Seth punched him in the arm. "Who is it then?" Erik looked at him and paused.

"You know that girl who kidnapped Mel?"

"Yeah,"

"You know how she had an Ethos sign on her cheek?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, that's her. She's coming after us again."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Yeili sprinted down the road, her black hair, now tied in a braid flying behind her. Her cast, Rider of Yin; gave her the ability to run faster than she normally would have. Ridani cawed as he soared next to her.

_'You know where they are?' _He asked, swooping low to avoid a tree branch. Yeili slowed down, breathing heavily.

"Zad has given me a tracer." She dug into her pocket, then held up a violet stone, looking very so much like the Key.

_'Really? Do you actually trust Zad?'_ Yeili stiffened. Ridani was like her second conscience, guessing everything her first one was questioning.

"No." She said after a pause. "Nor do I enjoy his presence. He irritates me." Yeili shivered.

_'Well, good. I don't like him either.'_

_- - - - - - - - - - _

"Kara!" Rion skidded down the marble hall towards her. She was sitting on the floor, next to a pillar. "That Ethos! Seth told me she's coming back!"

Kara looked up from her boots, which she had been powering up. "She's coming back? Why'd she do that? The Ethos already have Mel." Rion sighed and sat down next to her.

"She mentioned the Lost One. There's a legend that the Lost One can seal and unseal the entrance to the Dark Realms and Rados. They just need one of the Relics." Rion explained.

"So, what has this got to do with Mel?" Kara asked, confused.

"Nothing. I don't believe Mel's the Lost One." He shrugged.

"But who is, Rion?"

- - - - - - - - - -

**Author's Note:** Well, there's another update. I'll be able to get another up by Wednesday at the latest, so yeah.

Oh! Forgot. I am writing this as a trilogy(More info on my account page.) So, I need an idea of what to call this as a trilogy. If you have idea's post 'em on the reviews. Feedback is always nice to have, isn't it? ;)


	3. The Ethos Returning

Well, well, well. Adamizgr8 is still my only reviewer. -claps for Adamizgr8- So, yeah... read and review. Catch my drift?

Disclaimer: If I owned Di-Gata, this wouldn't be a fanfiction. Hence, this site name.

**Chapter 3: The Ethos Returning**

_From the midnight world,_

_I came,_

_Bringing more of my kind,_

_To cast the darkness over your Realm,_

- - - - - - - - 

Mel was dead bored. If she'd been allowed, she might have stared singing. Or maybe even humming. Humming was always fun.

But a down point was that Zad refused to let her do anything. Not sing, talk or for the sake of Rados, hum. Or even move for that matter. Apparantly he thought that her wizard powers where triggered by movement.

Which they where. Darn.

- - - - - - - -

"Cameryn!" Kara ran up to the elder girl, tugging on her sleeve. "She's coming!"

Cameryn's dark eyebrow's knitted together in confusion. "Who? Melosa?"

"No! The Ethos! She found us!" Kara tugged her along down the hall, the pointed out the window. A dark storm brewed just east of them. The sky was clouding over and lightning flashed every so often.

"I can't see it. Only the Ethos Sigils everywhere. What's happening?" Cameryn said simply, squinting at the sky.

"A storm. Ethos sigils? You mean... You tell what the Sigil makeup is of casts and objects?" Kara asked.

"Yeah. Miia and I have the same eyes, but different abilities with them. So, they're definitely coming. Let's go." Cameryn wheeled around, and pulled Kara down the the hall.

- - - - - - -

Yeili laughed at the storm above her, face titled up towards the dark clouds. Her black hair whipped around her face and she extended her arms as it started to rain. Ridani cawed as he flew around her in tight circles, then landing on her extended arm. The other Ethos would be there. Soon, hopefully. And then the Lost One woudln't stand a chance.

Now this felt like home.

- - - - - - - -

Adam swore as thunder sounded above the dojo. He skidded down the hall and nearkly smacked into a wall.

"Adam!" Seth ran over, his hair soaked and plastered to his forehead. "They're coming, we've got to get out of here!"

"What?" This was news. "Who's coming? Mel? Malco? Flinch?!"

"The Ethos." Seth said grimly. "Cameryn promised a distraction to get us out of here. Erik's starting the Stormers and Rion's with him."

"Ethos? Seth, you do realise we're not supposed to run from them?" Adam was confused. Weren't they supposed to defeat the Ethos? Not hide from them? "We have time to defend ourselves."

"I know. But without Mel..." Seth trailed off hesitantly. "We'll see." He said, giving in.

"Excellent." Adam grinned. "Mel'll be fine. She's strong, you know."

"Fine. We stay. And then we find Mel."

"I was just about to suggest that."

- - - - - - -

Yeili eyed the dojo from the distance away, sopping wet from the rain pouring down around her.

"You're sure they're here?" A tall, black cloaked figure asked her. His voice was deep and gravelly. "The Lost One is here?"

"Yes, Cyrlin. I am positive." Yeili nodded.

"Good. We cannot have mistakes this time." He raised a gloved hand and motioned at several other Ethos hidden among the tree's.

"The boys. Find them and bring them here. Destroy the others." Yeili raised an eyebrow.

"Why destroy them? Couldn't they be used for information?"

Cyrlin paused. "I suppose. Shut down the dojo and lock them away then." Yeili nodded, happy wit the orders and turned to look at the dojo.

"Do you wish to join the attack?" Cyrlin asked in his deep voice.

"Of course. Whatever you wish, sir."

"Then get the boy."

- - - - - - - - -

Yeili pulled her black hood up, concealing all but her eyes; to cover herself from the rain that was now pouring down. A silver Ethos Sigil was emblazoned on the corner dark. She held out her stones as she crept nearer to the dojo.

Other Ethos glided next to her, appearing tall and creepish. Being used to their appearance, she ignored them. The leading Ethos halted; the Ethos all raised a tentacle-like hand and shouted in their gravelly deep voice.

"Twilight of the Ethosian!" The Ethos voices rumbled together like the thunder that sounded above them just moments later. A black shadow swept over the dojo, the temperature dropping several degrees.

- - - - - - - -

"S-Seth!" Kara shivered with the sudden drop. The Defenders stood on the wall surrounding the dojo. "W-what happened?"

"I don't know." Seth looked over at the approaching Ethos. "Why are they still after us?"

"Who knows?" Erik shivered with cold. "Let's warm this place up a bit though. Forge Fire!" He raised his gauntlet and blasted bolts of energy.

"Pandemonium!" Seth tossed his stones into the air, metal octopuses flying towards the hooded figures. Three met their mark. "Rion, how many do you see?" The younger boy shrugged and hugged himself from the cold.

"Maybe twenty."

"Get down!" Adam grabbed Seth's arm, dragging them both to the ground.

"What was that for?" A dull boom echoed across the grounds and something smashed against the wall, scattering loose rocks and dust over all the Defenders.

"That, was what it was for."

"Oh." A pause. "Thanks."

"My pleasure."

"Shut up, Adam."

- - - - - - - -

Yeili looked up the wall. Children ran along the tops, throwing their attacks down at them. A boy stopped at a point and threw his stones into the air.

"Black Ice!" The ice slowly froze over the plain before her and Yeili was sent skidding on her back. She slammed into the wall and started cursing violently at the pain in her shoulder.

"Silver Moon!" Yeili shouted, struggling to stand and kept sliding. Silver tentacles grew out of her shoulders as she was lifted off the ground. "Damn this ice!"

Now level with the wall, Yeili took advantage and sent an attack at the boy who had caused the ice. "Black Nova!" She raised her hands and the boy was sent flying backward into another girl, both tumbling into a heap.

Clambering onto the wall, she grinned and ran towards the dojo.

- - - - - - - -

"Seth!" Rion ran up holding the hoods that the leader had sent him to fetch. "I have them! There's an Ethos in the walls!" He panted, having run the whole way here.

"There in the walls?" Seth pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "I'll go take care of them." He started walking away, until someone grabbed his shoulder.

"Seth, I'll go." Adam turned him around. "You're needed on the wall's. And someone needs to keep Cameryn sane." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the elder girl. She looked mad enough to send them all over the wall.

"I suppose…" Seth trailed off. "Alright. Knock 'em out and get back here."

"I like that. Nice, simple, easy to remember."

"Just go."

- - - - - - - - -

**A/N: **Yeah... well. I wrote out most of this already so that's why these currents updates are going up so fast. And after chapter 4 they're going to slow down a little.


	4. Into The Dark Realm

I'm baaacckk!! With more writing about our lovely Di-Gata Defenders.

_Disclaimer: _I don't own Di-Gata. Or any of the new episodes that air on September 9th! But, I do own my OC's and the plot line.

**Chapter 4: Into the Dark Realm**

_Left behind,_

_By those whom I trusted,_

_More than I do myself,_

_Expendable,_

- - - - - -

Adam hid behind his cloak, invisible to any passerby's. He carefully walked down the hall, so not to make any sound. Running footsteps echoed down the passage behind him and Adam turned around, cluching his Di-Gata stones tightly.

"Rider of Yin!" A black cloaked figure skidded into the hall and in a flash of dark light, armour plates formed over her clothes.

"Power of the Guild!" Adam threw his stones towards the Ethos, a large metal dart which buried itself into the pillar behind her. It exploded in a burst of red dust.

"Ridani!" The cloaked figure stepped foreward. "Icy Wind!" A jet black raven formed in a flash of violet light, blasting dark energy from it's beak.

Adam swore under his breath. "Decepter! See if you can find me now!" through the red dust, other Adam's stepped out, looking identicle.

"Nice try." Yeili smirked as her guardian landed on her outstretched arm. "Ridani! Airbo-" A pair of hands covered her mouth and she and her attacker tumbled backwards.

- - - - - - -

"Cameryn!" Thymene ran up to the elder girl. "The Ethos are inside the walls! A couple got in the dojo."She panted, hands on her knee's.

Her eyebrows knitted together, her mind thinking. "Thank you. Find Rion! As soon as possible! I need him to do something." She hurried away, down the stairs paced along the wall, towards a small door, leading under the wall.

- - - - - -  
"Stay quiet." Adam said softly to the Ethos. He hand one hand over her mouth and another around her waist. "Where's the bird?"

_'Yeili, I am getting help.' _The Ethos' guardian spoke in her mind. _'Stay where you are.'_ Yeili shrugged, struggling to get out of his grip.

"Stop moving!" Adam stood up, dragging her with him. "You're going to walk foreward and stop when I tell you." In response, she just stepped on his foot. Hard.

"Owe... That hurt!" Yeili just rolled her eyes.

A deep voice spoke behind him. "Not as much as this will." Adam turned around, tightening his hold on Yeili. Three tall, floating and cloaked Ethos dripped on the floor, a mere few feet away.

"I have her. You won't want to hurt this girl." Adam nodded towards the Ethos.

There was a gravelly chuckle. "She's expendable." Yeili struggled against the thief, trying to get away.

"Wait a sec, you mean I don't have anything I could give you to let me walk away free?" Adam asked, biting his lip as Yeili elbowed in in the stomach. Quite hard actually.

"No. Sorry. Nightmare of the Realm!"

- - - - - -

Cameryn crouched down in the room, next to a small grate, only as tall as her waist- the perfect size for a small boy. Like RIon, for example.

"Rion, you're going down here." She pulling off the grate with a crunch, placing it against the wall.

"What? No!" His head barely grazed the roof of the room. "I'm not going." Rion said firmly, stepping away from the opening.

Cameryn glared at him. "Oh yes, you are. Once a good ways down, set this off." She held out a Henge Stone. A Dako-Nega Henge glowed a dark red.

"Oh... well, okay." He faltered and accepted the stone. He paused, staring at it. Cameryn rolled her eyes.

"Get going already!" She snapped, pointing at the small opening.

"Right, sorry."

- - - - - -

Yeili could feel the pain in her chest spreading across her body as she lay on the cold marble floor. Cyrlin had attacked her. Called her 'expendable'. This had hurt more than the attack itself, being useless to the Ethos.

A voice spoke through her black daze, "Get the boy! Hurry, before the cast wears off." Cyrlin. She could hear the drips as the two other Ethos glided past her.

"What about her?"

"Leave her. I was ordered to leave her here, where Lian belongs." Cyrlin replied. None of the other two questioned his orders. Yeili tried to sit up, but found it impossible. A dull boom echoed through the dojo, along with a high wailing.

"Get going!" Cyrlin, one of the High Lords, even sounded slightly scared at the sound. "Portal!"

Yeili sighed deeply. Either way, she couldn't move. She breathed deeply, and thought no more.

- - - - - - -

Mel stared at that one spot on the wall, the tiny painting of a woman, dark haired and small with gray eyes. She looked somewhat familliar. Zad was sitting in a tiny chair, apparantly built just for him. He hadn't moved an inch in over an hour.

"Well," She coughed slightly. "How's the weather?"

Nothing. Zad didn't even blink. Talkative much.

- - - - - -

Kara and Rion walked through the dojo's winding halls in search of Adam. Their footsteps echoed slightly along the walls.

"Where could he be? You don't think he's hurt or something?" Kara asked the other Defender.

He shrugged. Rion didn't really want to say what he thought. "I hope not. He was supposed to be back an hour ago."

Kara glanced down a hallway to their right, then doubled back. "Down here!" She took off quickly towards a dark figure sprawled on the floor. Kara stopped several feet away, waiting for Rion to catch up.

"Is it Adam?"

"No." The Ethos girl, the kidnapper; was on the ground before them. "Go get Seth. I'll watch her" Rion reluctantly started down the hall.

Kara, herself, turned back, to the Ethos, carefully drawing her stones in case, then crouched down a safe distance away.

- - - - - - -

Adam couldn't see. Well, blindfolds do that to you. Blocking out your eyesight and everything. And he was being forced to walk forwards, turning corners every now and then. He could hear the dripping from the Ethos around him and their heavy breathing. They all sounded like they had a nasty cold.

"Set him here. He can't shift between Realms yet." One deep voice said. Adam was pushed forewords, falling painfully to his knees.

"Shift? Shift what?" He asked, struggling to get to his feet. Adam was plainly ignored by the Ethos around him. There was a low buzzing noise, then the dripping and breathing faded away, replaced by someone running over.

"Adam! What did you _do_?" Mel hissed at him, untying his blindfold and ropes around him.

"_I_? Did nothing." He rubbed his wrists where the ropes had been too tight, leaving red welts.

"Really?" She said sarcastically.

"Of course. It was that dako-brained daughter of a sigil-blasted-yin-yanner" He said angrily.

"I've already called Yeili that. She left to go find the Lost One or whatever."

"I thought that was you." Adam stood up, looking around them. Both of them where apparently in a dark glowing purple orb, a prison. Ethos Sigils glowed at them from the ceiling and walls. "Where are we?"

"We're in the Dark Realms. And no, I'm not the Lost One. These Ethos don't even have the manners to let me go after their own mistake." Mel said, standing up next to him.

"Seems like them. Nice and polite." Adam said sarcastically, then his smiled dropped as he turned to her. "What's shifting?"

"Shifting? As in what kind?" Adam shrugged. Who knew? The Ethos could've been talking about anything.

Mel paused for a moment, in thought. "Well, there was two kinds I can remember -aside from shitfing objects around manually. The first was one where you kind of moved from one place to another by going through different dimensions. The second was where a person could open a portal, anywhere, to another Realm and seal it again. There are more, I just don't know what kinds."

"Okay, thanks."

"Why'd you ask?"

"Oh, well… no reason. Just something a friend mentioned."

- - - - - -

Seth finished tying the knot of the rope around the Ethos. He stood up, brushing his hands together, Erik aiming his gauntlet towards the girl in front of them. Yeili looked ready to murder him. Really. She was familiar with the feeling lately.

"Are these really necessary?" She asked, venom in her voice as she examined the ropes. "You already have stolen my stones."

"I prefer the term 'confiscated'. Yes, they are necessary." Seth said, sitting down, cross-legged a good foot away from her, bouncing her stones in his palm. "Where's Mel?"

"The Wizard girl?" Yeili shrugged "Who knows?"

"Not being very specific, are you?" Erik snarled, a nasty look on his face.

"No,"

"How do we find her?" Yeili shrugged off the question. "Okay, how do we get into the Dark Realms then?" Her dark green eyes flicked up at them curiously.

"Why do you ask, Defenders?" She said slowly.

"Because we need to find Mel." Erik elbowed Seth. "And Adam." The leader added at little late.

"The boy? I cannot help you. The Wizard, perhaps. You'll need me first." Yeili had the shadow of a smile on her pale face, like she knew something she was dying to tell.

"What for? Use your stones and cast us in."

"First, you currently hold my stones. And secondly, I can only take a single person with me. And it is one way only." Yeili responded, as if reciting it off a textbook. Seth exchanged looks with Erik, then turned back to the Ethos.

"How do we get there then?"

- - - - - -

The Defenders and company looked over the maps in the dojo library. Cameryn had her arms crossed, scanning over the room with her violet eyes repeatedly. She often stopped to gaze at Yeili for a moment. Her Sigil reading was different, different than the Sigils on the Di-Gata stones Seth had shown her.

"...there are two ways into the Dark Realm. One is by the already established portals. They are most likely being watched. The other, through objects." The Ethos explained. Why she was helping the Defenders? If she got them into the Realm, possibly, she would be welcomed back. They would be taken captive and she would be rewarded. But, things where sometimes better to celebrate after things worked out.

"You need the Great Dagger of Nega-La to create the portal, the Infinorian Glasspiece to mark and see what is ahead and to get to the capital, the Sumosian Shield. They will all be required to enter the Realms."

Kara blinked,"The what's-it?" Yeili sighed.

"You need the Relics of the Celestial Abyss."

- - - - - -

**A/N**: Ah ha ha ha... No, that's not a laugh. Okay, it is. Forgive me. I like cliffhangers. And for the full story behind the Relics, check out my homepage. Yes, that means click my bio up top and then click the homepage link.


	5. Athela

Na na na naaaahhh!!! And after this, this is caught up to Halfway There on the Di-Gata Defenders boards! -happy dance- And we have another character. Named Athela. She plays a smaller, yet crucial role in the trilogy which still has to be decided of a name...

Disclaimer: I don't own Di-Gata. This is the fifth chapter. Get it into your head already! XD

**Chapter 5: Athela**

_From the midnight realm,_

_I came,_

_Leading a solid group of eight,_

_As you learned of another,_

- - - - - - - -

"The Relics," Yeli explained, for the Defenders convenience, "Are objects spelled by eight Wizards. They each hold seperate powers." Erik nodded, slowly understanding what the Ethos was saying.

"Oh, and the objects together equal a way into the Dark Realm." He paused, pondering a single question. "How's that work?"

"The Great Dagger of Nega-La, will open the portal, new pathways. The Glasspiece will lead your way through the Dark Realms and the Sumosian Shield will protect you from some of the Ethos."

"Oh, sounds good." Seth nodded and crossed his arms. "Where do we find them?" The group turned to Yeili, all eyes on her. She responded truthfully.

"I don't know."

- - - - - - - -

Adam lay on his back, hands behind his head, humming along to a tune. Mel was feeling along the purple orb that held them in a prison, murmering the Sigils under her breath.

"Alright, the Sigil makeup is layered. It's a shield designed to keep people busy. They'll most likely renew it every couple days or so." Mel said, fingers still on the curved wall. It felt like slightly warm glass.

"I didn't understand a word you just said." Adam told her, gazing blankly at the ceiling. The Wizard sighed.

"It means I'll have a lot of work to do before we can get out of here." She pressed her palms against the violet wall, quietly saying the Sigils.

"Oh. Well, you do that then."

- - - - - - - -

Cameryn stood, arms crossed and a expressionless look on her face watching as the Defenders and Yeili prepared to leave for a monastary in Yantos. Thymene and Tarlin, two of her students stood behind her, taking turns shoving the other like immature children.

She turned to them, giving them careful instructions, speaking softly. "Find everything and come back here. Give the message to Lyra. She'll know what to do."

Cameryn turned back to the Defenders as the two teenagers ran back to the dojo. She walked over, a stony look on her face. "We're coming with you." She stated, glaring at them all, as if daring them to contridict her. "Thymene, Tarlin and I."

Rion glanced nervously at Seth. Their leader would definitely argue against this. And the Ethos girl was enough to complicate the matters. But the dark haired boy just shrugged and continued powering up his Stormer. Erik raised an eyebrow, exchanging a look with Kara as Thymene and Tarlin returned with supplies and loaded them onto the Stormers.

"So, Rion's with Kara, Yeili's with me," Seth started counting off the places. "Thymene can go with Erik and Cameryn and Tarlin share Mel's Stormer. That's everyone." He sat down, lifting a helmet and placing it over his dark hair and glancing back to make sure Yeili hadn't left them.

"Let's get going."

- - - - - - -

They stopped at dusk, in the middle of nowhere, on the border of Yantos and Nega-La. Kara and Rion where searching for firewood as the others rolled out sleeping bags and prepared to sleep.

Thymene tucked a losse strand of dark hair behind her ear as she rolled her sleeping bag out next to Seth's. "Do you actually trust that girl?" She was referring to Yeili.

"Not really." He answered truthfully. "I really just want to get Mel back. It kinda feels... like we're not a team without her." Seth paused. "And I suppose Adam. You kinda get used to him after a while."

"You're not really a huge fan of him, are you?" She lay down on her sleeping bag, hands behind her head as she gazed up at the tree's and dark sky above her.

"I wouldn't say that... well, actually, I would." Seth grinned at her as she laughed.

"Sounds like a nice guy." Thymene laughed.

"I guess he is. Just gets on your nerves sometimes."

"Seems like the person to do so." And after that, the camp fell strangely silemt.

- - - - - - -

Mel wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. The walls holding them in where difficult to actually decode. Decode, as in, find the basis of all the Sigil makeup and gradually break through it all. This wall, was in layers.

"You almost done?" Adam asked impaitently, from his particular favourite spot in the centre of the violet orb.

"No," She snapped. "Do something useful."

"Like what?" Not like there was much to actually _do_...

"Staying out of my way!" She said angrily.

"Jeez, cheerful much?"

- - - - - -

Cyrlin floated down one of the corridors of the Ethosian Citadel, glancing from under his black hood into the cells. These cells where for those of no special power, the ordinary people. He stopped outside one, shadows hiding its occupant

"Athela."

"My Lord," A low voice, female, sounding defeated; spoke softly from the corner

"The Lost One is here." Silence, aside from a scuffling noise of cloth against stone. "He needs training." Cyrlin raised a tentacle-like hand, motioning to unlock the door. The voice was hoarse and rough, possibly from either lack of use or water.

"Of course. You'll need me."

"Yes. That would be the key to your freedom, Athela. Don't you wish to see him again?" Another pause and more shifting

"He won' remember me…I haven't seen him for thirteen years." She said softly, remembering his small face and smile...

"Is that agreement?"

A navy cloaked figure, stepped foreward, out of the shadows. Pulling back her hood, Athela's black hair fell plainly past her shoulders and her grey eyes glared at the Ethos, faint lines of worry across her face

"Yes."

- - - - - - -

Inside the monastery, Yeili, Cameryn and Seth searched for any place of where the Relics could be within the history books. The others where lazing around the library, Erik snoring over somewhere in the mechanics area, while Kara and Rion where off somewhere. Tarlin was sleeping against one of the bookshelves and Thymene staring out the window a distance away.

"There's a knife in Dakor, in one of the dojo's in the mountains. It's supposed to have some powers, but this book isn't specific…" Cameryn trailed off, continuing to read. Even though she couldn't see casts, she could see all kinds of Sigils, including the ones on paper and walls.

"Nah, that place was destroyed half a decade ago." Seth crossed off the dojo on the map he was using. They where slowly eliminating places the Dagger of Nega-La could be.

"What about here?" Yeili asked dully. She wasn't all into the researching business, but Seth wouldn't let her leave his sight. Even then, he still had her stones.

"Here? Why here?"

"It is a museum." Yeili waved at one of many display cases about the library. A small instrument was sitting in the nearest, a plaque of a coppery color with an explaination of what it was, who discovered it and multiple dates. "There are many objects that could be of the Relics."

The other two looked at each other. Well, maybe Ethos Girl had a point. Why not check?

- - - -

Mel sighed from exhaustion, sitting down on the floor. The wall was halfway decoded, better than when she'd started. She had maybe half a day left before the shields where renewed.

Sighing tiredly, Mel turned back to the wall, murmuring the Sigils yet again

And the violet wall vanished

"You." An Ethos glided foreward, to Adam. The thief himself was lying on his back staring at the ceiling

"What?" He lifted his head, staring at the black cloaked Ethos. "Did I break more rules?" Adam smiled and lay back down, whistling happily.

"No. Not you. The Wizard will be leaving for several hours and your teacher will be here soon." The Ethos growled

Mel narrowed her eyes and sighed. The chances of them escaping this place were close to nil. Might as well stop trying and wait for Seth to come… And the other's, of course. Can't forget about them...

- - - -

"You're kidding?" Tarlin eyed the small dagger Cameryn was belting to her waist. "It was here the entire time? No fighting past monsters?"

"No evil Ethos blocking our way?" Erik added.

"No travelling across these completely abandoned and haunted plains until we all die of starvation?"

"Nice one, Tarlin..."

"You both have too much time on your hands." Seth grinned, shaking his head all the while. "But yes, we have the blade. The only agreement was that it has to come back after we're done with it." He explained

"Well, let's hope it's not destructible like the Pure Stones where…" Kara, smiling,

"Yeah... let's hope..."

- - - - -

Athela looked at Adam in front of her, eyeing him. He'd grown up rather well, aside from his adoptive father, Lord Brakus. That was possibly the worst part fo his history. She hadn't seen him since before Brakus had taken him. Looking away for a moment, she held back tears.

"You know of shifting?" She asked, setting her cloak aside, wearing long black robes, slightly tattered around the hem.

"Erm… a little." He shrugged. "I get the basics."

"Ah." Athela crossed her arms. "In history, there was a prophecy given to a Defender many thousands of years ago by a Wizard of Yan. Every generation, there would be a single person who could move freely between different worlds and realms, and they would be taught in turn by the previous generation. This person was called the Shifter."

Adam rolled his eyes. "What has this to do with me?" She ignored him and continued on, grey eyes never leaving his.

"In the prophecy, the Shifter was referred to as the Lost One, for they where raised in secret and away from their parents. This enters you for the role of the Shifter. From your adoptive father and parentage." Athela left out the fact that they also lost what was so dear to them, the person closest to their heart. He didn't need to know. Not yet.

"Oh," He fell silent. "How do you shift between worlds then?"

"I'll show you."

- - - - - - - -

**A/N: **Muahahaha! Cliffhanger. And if you do read this, please review. Adamizgr8, a wonderful reviewer and reader, is still the only one...


	6. A Trip To The DiYantis Mountains

Okay, so I know it's been ages since I last posted, but hey, I'm back. And determined to finish this thing so I can get going on the next one. Because there was a whole bunch of new stuff from recent Di-Gata episodes that I seriously want to write about.

AND I HAVE REVIEWERS. DUDES. I SO SHOULDA POSTED SOONER. YEAH. THANK YOU ALL. -worships ye all-

Disclaimer: I don't own it. But I just bought meself a set of new notebooks and I own them. That are green. -nods- _Everyone _loves green. Yeah.

**Chapter 6: A Trip To The Di-Yantis Mountains**

_We travelled far and wide,_

_As you learned of new power,_

_The servants found the shield,_

_And we searched for another,_

(4 months previously)

Morgana flew, cloaked in black cloud over the swamps of northern Yantos. Her solid silver eyes glinted in the moonlight as they carefully took in the landscape below. Her light brown-blonde hair was tied back loosely and wisps where flung in her frail looking face from the cold night air. Flying lower, the tops of the tree's passed overhead as Morgana hovered above the marshy ground.

"Disgusting," She sniffed as a large lizard dove into the murky waters below, slithering away into the shadows. "Why that stupid shield thing was hidden here is beyond me!" Morgana swore as she landed in a puddle of knee deep mud, the dirty water soaking into her shoes.

The blackness of the swamp, tinted only by an odd stream of moonlight through the tree's interrupted her perfect night vision. That is what one got for being merged with their guardian.

"I have half a mind to leave right now..." The fourteen-year-old muttered, shaking back the loose strands of hair from her face. Morgana reached into her black cloud-cloak, pulling out a map.

"Ah ha!" She turned the map upside down. "Here we are..." Morgana paused, staring at the weathered parchment.

"Now... where am I?"

- - - - - - - - -

(Present time)

Yeili examined the map, setting the yellowing paper on Seth's back so the wind flying past the two on the Stormer wouldn't get in the way. She was eyeing the eastern boarder of Yintos, where there was miles of endless sand, called the Waterless Sea, until it reached the ocean, but before that, a low mountain line. The Di-Yantis mountains.

While studying in the Dark Realms, the Ethos had learned about some of the exact positions of a few of the Relics through Zad and a few agents who had managed to find a way through to Rados. One Relic was somewhere hidden in the Di-Yantis mountains. Yeili sighed, rolling the map back up and tucking it under her arm.

Now she only had to find a way to get them to the mountains.

- - - - - - -

"I'll show you." Athela turned on her heel, raising her hand and placing it in the air, like there was an invisible wall before her.

It was like she had brushed aside a curtain, revealing a small town near sun-up and hardly any people, aside from a woman walking down a street away from the portal - assuming it _was_ a portal.

Adam just stared at it. Surely it couldn't be that easy? Moving a curtain between the Realms. Pshaw. Easy.

Athela turned to him, moving back the curtain and sealing the portal again. "Care to try?" She asked softly, daring him.

He was tempted to laugh. Only, laughing in front of this woman didn't sound particularly good. "Well, yeah. If I really am a Shifter, shouldn't this be simple?" She just looked amused.

"No. You need to feel for the walls between the Realms. To do this, clear your mind and focus on where you wish to go. And do not attempt to leave." Athela warned. "Because I will not let you."

"Yeah, sure." He waved a hand loftily. "Let's try this."

- - - - - - -

"You sleep on the _ground_? Every night?" Thymene looked horrified holding her sleeping bag above her head as the others lay them out. "Where there's_ bugs_?"

"I'm not a huge fan of them myself." Erik said, smoothing out his blanket and standing up. Rion snorted with laughter.

"Not a huge fan? You're terrified of them!" He told Thymene, still laughing. "Exibit 1: Aiiiieeee!!" Imitating his scream, the older girl cracked a smile as everyone else chuckled to themselves. Aside from Ethos Girl.

"Will you stop that racket?" Yeili snapped from her place at the base of a tree, looking over a few documents they had taken from the monastery. "I am trying to read."

"Any leads?" Seth asked from his sleeping bag next to Tarlin's and was cooking dinner. And wasn't doing so great. The water was burning. If that's even possible.

"Either the Di-Yantis Mountains or the Waterless Sea." She stated, her face never changing emotions as she continued to examine the papers and then point out spots on a map.

"Why there?" Cameryn asked, dropping the Dagger into a small bag she carried on her back. "It's completely deserted. No one has lived there in years."

"Precisely. I quote: _'From the empty mountains to the sea, we hid the pieces within the place of Ghosts.'_" Yeili shifted the map so it faced the others, pointing to the east edge, where the sand slowly disappeared.

"Well..." Erik ran a hand through his blonde hair. "If it's the Glasspiece, it would make sense." Kara gave him a blank look and he sighed, continuing.

"Lightning and sand create glass, so if there was any major storms, there would be plenty of places to hide another piece of glass around others." They all exchanged looks. Tarlin shrugged and said,

"He's got a point."

- - - - - - - -

"You're not trying hard enough!" Athela told Adam. He was leaning on his knee's, panting with exhaustion, head bowed.

"It's hard, okay!" He shouted tiredly. "I tried." Athela gave him a hard look.

"I did it. I went through the same training. And I have the ability to open the way through Realms." She picked up her cloak, and put in on, hiding her dark locks, tinted with grey and her eyes. "We will continue tomorrow, Adam."

"Yup. So excited for that..." He said sarcastically. After she left, he allowed himself to drop to the floor in exhaustion, eyes closed, and waited for Mel.

- - - - - - - -

Yeili yawned into her gloved hand and leaned back in the seat of the Stormer. The Defenders and company had all since passed into the mountains along the east side of Rados, the seemingly endless range extending for miles in all directions.

Tarlin, who was utterly bored, yelled out, "LOOK!_ Another _rock shaped like Malco!"

Kara shook her head. "Nah. He's taller. Uglier too."

Two of the elder teenagers, specifically, Erik and Cameryn, where cranky from lack of sleep and travelling for days. Cameryn turned to glare murderously at the other two.

"Either shut it or we'll stick you in one of the caves in the mountains." Erik growled, who would have glared at them, but was focusing on the rocky path ahead.

"Are we stopping soon?" Thymene moaned. "I ache all over..." she complained.

"Later. Help Erik with the co-ordinates or something..." Seth said absently from his Stormer at the front of the group.

Erik gave Thymene a look that practically dared her to to touch any of the controls. Which she hadn't been inclined to do so anyway.

- - - - - - -

(2 months previously)

Morgana examined the Sumosian Shield just lying there on her bed in the cave in the Di-Yantis mountains. It was a dull, chipped metal, nothing fancy, with a Sum Sigil imprinted upon it in gold. The Ethos where probably insane to want a disk of weathered Sumosite. Maybe for some new experiment or whatever.

"Piece of junk." She muttered, tossing it further in her cave. It had taken her a month to find the stupid thing, even with her enhanced sight. And it didn't even _do_ anything.

A bright flash flared through the dimly light room. Morgana hissed loudly in pain, covering her eyes. It took several minutes before her eyes did not pain her to open them.

"Stupid Relic!" She shouted, kicking it hard towards the entry to the cave. The shield glowed with it's Sigil Power, almost teasing her. Morgana picked it up and chucked it like a Frisbee down the steep slope of the mountain. She watched it gradually disappear into the few pine tree's and boulders below.

Then Morgana sighed and took off after it.

**A/N:** Okie, for those who read the chapter that had been posted on , this ones been edited. A lot. And added too. So yesh, I think this ones better.


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